The Prime Of The Outcasts

Part 3

I walked as far as my two boney legs were willing to carry me. I felt numerous trickily shivers explore my bloodstream, and only release an abounding bag of nerves to flourish my body in its entirety, that was only two more steps from collapsing. The atmosphere was cold and dreary. I would've given anything to reverse back to the early hours of the morning, where the heat satisfying my body wasn't the white spirals on my hands doing magic.

I was away to sit down. I decided to find an alleyway where I thought no-one would seek me out. If I knew my mom though, then she would already have set the people of Tarmonty out in spy groups, tracking my each and every move to make sure I didn't do anything "foolish". It's hard being the youngest. I was close to sitting down, tiredness pressuring my eyes to take a droop, heart rate slowing and beating at a steady pace that it sounded heavy and fatigued. I couldn't just sit down though, I was feeling something, something cold, something freezing actually.

Before I could close both my ocean blue eyes, a huge freezing sensation had caused a disturbance in my body. I felt my insides pin together like an unbreathable squeeze, then suddenly release just as I struggled to exhale. My stomach took great leap and my head beat like a wild drum that lost control of its sticks. 'What was that?!' I shrieked aloud. It was then that I heard a sudden sound of laughing, shrill and evil-like. It wasn't until I heard a cold voice ringing in my ear that I thought I had lost the plot.

'You look disturbed, precious. Whatever is the matter?' It breathed. I stood up in an instant and moved my head from left to right like an out of control robot. The laughter sounded again, only this time more deep and viciously.

'Where are you?' I whispered. 'Is that you Clara and Freya? Or is that Martha trying to scare me?' I held up clenched fists in front of my face preparing for something terrifying to step out and smack me right in the face.

'Now now, precious. There's no need for those fists. We don't know each other well enough yet to go sharing names. Would you like to see me?' It said. I shook my head frantically with fear. After I uttered a nervous 'no' did I then walk away. This wasn't what I needed right now. Not that being on my own made me feel any better about myself.

As I walked, I hit another street, It wasn't until I hit a short flight of stone stairs that I realised something, I was heading directly for Mr Collins house and work office. The biggest house on the block with dead roses accompanying each stain glass window. It was grey and crooked, unlike the surrounding houses, it was white and musty. I felt like turning back, but that same voice, that same terrifying voice spoke to me again. Was it following me?

'Are you going to walk down those stairs or what?' It commanded. I looked around me again. There was no sign of a person lurking anywhere. 'There's no need for hurting your head in such a way,' the voice came again. 'You can't see me. I'd laugh if you continued to try to.' I'd had enough of this. I wanted to believe that this was Martha testing to see if I was stupid enough to exit my house again, but I had an awful feeling it wasn't.

'Who are you, freak?! I yelled awkwardly into thin air. My scowls echoed loudly, I was lucky nobody witnessed that brief moment of insanity. 'Stop following me, I want to be left alone, okay!' I raced down the stairs and knocked on the door quickly.

'My name is not freak, precious, good try though. I hope you're aware nobody lives there anymore, Mr Collins as I've heard, is not with us at this very moment,' it snorted. I suddenly felt like a complete idiot. Not only was I losing my temper with my family but now I forgot about the death of somebody I used to know. Whatever was happening to me needed to stop, right now. Without even thinking about what I was doing, I had pushed dramatically at the handle and broken inside. The old medieval door was hanging on a single oily hinge, so I entered with great care. Chuckles of laughter started up again. From as far as I could hear, the voice was a man's. I thought better not to ask him though, I had not a clue who he was, and everything that came from his voice sounded like he was sending me a riddle to crack. 'Might I ask why you're here, precious?' He added. I narrowed my eyes and stepped inside, each step rattling the floorboards.

'Evidence,' I replied plainly. 'I want to find out who killed Mr Collins. And break this law that my mom put on me.' I then felt another feeling of sincere coldness flurry through me. What kept causing that? I got my shots last year to check for any harmful diseases. The doctor recalled that I'm the healthiest person he ever did see. I then saw what it was. A dark silhouette of an angry man's face had raced through my front and back out the other side. Where the rest of its body was simply escaped me. The face had all the correct facial features, except the eyes were deceptive, and the mouth was thick and toothless. Oh my god! This man was magic! I had a strange feeling he knew that I was "supernatural" too. I'd prefer if he didn't talk about it though, in many ways I was so insecure when it came to discussing my strangeness. A deep feeling of worry emerged from my body again. I had never faced another person like me before, it was quite an experience.

'Well, precious,' the shadow man started again. 'I don't know what you plan on finding out here, if it was carried out by who you think it was, then wouldn't you think they'd be careful in not leaving traces of a body or handled possession?' I thought about this. He was humiliating me, shamefully though he was correct. I continued to search around the room in hope of finding something peculiar. He only had three rooms (as he only rented out the bottom floor). He lived in a bungalow, where his kitchen shared his office desk, and his bathroom contained his bed. I shuffled through countless papers and files... Nothing. 'For goodness sakes woman! You've got magic haven't you?!' Snapped the shadow man again. I felt forced to answer.

'How do you know?' I demanded. 'Nobody here in Tarmonty knows anything about me.'

'Oh but I do, precious... Trust me, I know more about you and the disappearance of Mr Collins than you will ever know.' Okay, I was officially freaked out. Whoever this perpetrator was could clear off. I didn't want this, not now, not ever. I looked up at creepy face which only smirked back.

'Leave me alone!' I yelled. 'You don't know who you're dealing with.'

'What?' I replied. 'A young sorceress who doesn't know how to control her powers!' The shadow practically died of laughter. I on the other hand felt my palms heat and burn at my skin like never before. Before I knew it, a scouring ball of fire was floating obediently in my hand. I didn't hesitate, I had control over my magic. I yelled the words 'My name is not precious, IT'S SERENA!' and aimed the ball right at the silhouette.

I thought it did the job, I thought I finished it off. I watched the fireball turn the man shadow into nothing more than a flaming ball of light that hurt your eyes if you stated for too long. But I hadn't though, something else came.

I forgot...this is magic...this is different.